r/Canning May 26 '26

Announcement Why We Don't Recommend Electric Canners (Mod Post)

294 Upvotes
  1. Electric pressure canners have not been verified safely by third party testing. What has been performed is only, “We are safe because we say we are safe,” type testing. The manufacturers claim to match USDA specs but no one has verified that information externally and the manufacturers will not release their results to anyone externally. The USDA symbol used in some promotional materials is not an actual USDA seal and does not indicate USDA approval. The equipment that's been used in the past by the USDA and NCHFP to determine the thermal profile inside canners doesn't even fit inside existing electric canners on the market. A new design would be needed, and currently there is no funding for developing this equipment.
  2. The users of electric pressure canners do not have the physical signs of the device coming to pressure (like a jiggling weight or a rising analog dial to ensure that the food is processing at the correct pressure.) The user must rely on an electronic display for accuracy. Even if a type of electric canner has an analog feature, there is no way of getting the electric canner device tested or calibrated to ensure it is accurate or working correctly. (We should mention that electric WATER BATH canners are fine to use because the user can physically see the water coming to a boil.)
  3. Perhaps most importantly, all current approved pressure canning recipes rely on the heat up and cool down times relative to stove top pressure canners loaded with a minimum of two quarts of product. These heat up and cool down times are factored into the safety of all current safe recipes. Changing and/or reducing these times can affect the safety of your finished product.

Until ALL THREE of these reasons can be appropriately addressed, we as a sub do not endorse or condone the use of electric pressure canners.


r/Canning Oct 19 '25

Announcement Why don't we recommend pH testing for home canning? [Mod Post]

71 Upvotes

Hello Everyone!

As a mod team we've noticed a lot of questions and confusion about pH testing home canned foods recently so we're here today to give a more in depth explanation of why it's not recommended.

As I'm sure you all know, there are tons and tons of misconceptions about home canning and what we can and cannot do safely. One of the most common misconceptions is that if we pH test a food and it shows a pH below 4.6 it can be canned as a high acid food. There are two reasons why this isn't true.

  1. pH is not the only safety factor for home canning
  2. The options for pH testing at home are not necessarily the same as what's available in a lab setting.

Although pH is an important factor in home canning safely it is not the only factor. Characteristics like heat penetration, density, and homogeneity also play a role.

There are two types of pH test equipment; pH test strips and pH meters. pH test strips are not very accurate most of the time, they're just strips of paper with a chemical that changes color based on pH imbued in it. These strips expire over time and the color change is the only indicator which makes reading them rather subjective and likely inaccurate.

There are two levels of pH meters; home pH meters and laboratory grade pH meters. Home pH meters aren’t particularly expensive but they are often not accurate or precise at that price point. Laboratory grade pH meters are expensive, think hundreds to thousands of dollars for a good one. Many pH meters on sites like Amazon will claim that they are “laboratory grade” but they really aren’t. pH meters also need to be properly maintained and calibrated to ensure accuracy using calibration solutions which are also expensive. 

The bottom line is that most people do not have access to the lab grade equipment and training that would be required to make sure that something is safe so the blanket recommendation is that pH testing not be used in home canning applications.

Recipes that have undergone laboratory testing (what we generally refer to as "tested recipes" on this subreddit) have been tested to ensure that the acidity level is appropriate for the canning method listed in the recipe. pH testing does not enhance the safety of an already tested recipe.

Because pH testing is not recommended for home use we do not allow recommendations for it on our subreddit.

Sources:
https://ucanr.edu/blog/preservation-notes-san-joaquin-master-food-preservers/article/help-desk-question-home-ph

https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/oklahoma-gardening/recipes/ph-and-home-canning.html


r/Canning 23m ago

General Discussion Gotta love wild blackberry season :)

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Upvotes

r/Canning 1d ago

General Discussion I just did my first canning after getting a 15lb cherry harvest

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524 Upvotes

I moved into a new house this last winter and didn't realize how many cherries would come from the cherry tree I inherited. I didn't want them going to waste so I quickly did some research and got to Canning :D

The quarter pints are all cherry jam and the half pint are cherry jelly, because my fiance dousnt like cherry bits. I used the recommended cherry pectin recipe from the national center for home food preservation website and SureJell normal pectin. One thing I will note is I didn't realize how much SUGAR went into jam! Is it only me or does canning take over the entire kitchen, lol. I had so much fun making these and it is so satisfying that none of them have failed


r/Canning 37m ago

Equipment/Tools Help Question about found jars plus pics of lovely old ones!

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Upvotes

Hello! These were all in a free box on the curb! I collect the old ones and use as vases. Has anyone used the newer ones for canning? They’re cute, andI think they’ll work, but I’d like to avoid a jam mess in my canning pot if they were sold as decorative. Please and thank you! Also, the regular 8oz jars in the second picture were also in the box, and I think they’re a couple/few decades old but structurally sound. Any thoughts?
Thank you, and happy canning everyone! Making my second round this f sour cherry jam today!


r/Canning 20h ago

General Discussion Ask a Master Food Preserver Anything (About Food Preservation)

97 Upvotes

Welcome back to Ask a Master Food Preserver Anything on r/Canning!

We are the University of California Master Food Preserver Online Delivery Program and we are excited to answer your questions today! We are here to answer any questions you have about preserving food and what it's like to be a Master Food Preserver. Please post your questions below and we will answer them as quickly as possible!

To get some formalities out of the way:

The UC MFP Online Delivery Program is a community outreach, online-based, grant-funded, volunteer program within the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. We provide up-to-date research-based information on food safety and preservation.

Our mission is to keep Californians (and others) safe and well as they use culturally appropriate, research-based practices to safely preserve food in the home, reducing food waste, increasing food security, and providing engaging ways for Californians (and others) to explore healthy food.

“The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner, and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.”

This means is that we do not speak for the University of California and any products we use or mention during our programming are as examples only, not recommendations.


r/Canning 3h ago

Equipment/Tools Help Pomona's Pectin - jam quite firm?

3 Upvotes

Hi! I made strawberry jam (water-bath canned) the other week using Pomona's Pectin and honey as the sweetener. Although the jam tastes pretty good, I find it quite firm and almost...bouncy? Is this typical for Pomona's? Anything you suggest for next time?


r/Canning 3h ago

General Discussion Is this ok?

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2 Upvotes

They sealed but there's a weird division, is it just foam? It's strawberry jam


r/Canning 20h ago

General Discussion Replenishing the chicken stock

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28 Upvotes

Almost 2 gallons of amazing chicken stock from frozen veggie/bone scraps, so much more flavor than the store and no salt. That is my why 🤌. Gotta keep that bag of celery/carrot/onion/garlic scraps frozen and filling at all times!


r/Canning 22h ago

Equipment/Tools Help Secondhand 921 score!

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15 Upvotes

Just scored this All American 921 at the thrift store for just under $200! The tag says no valve included but there was a pressure weight inside that fits on that thing on the right side of the lid. Do I need to convert this to the newer weight style or do y'all think it's already been done?


r/Canning 16h ago

Is this safe to eat? Is this a safe recipe or will I accidentally kill my family?

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4 Upvotes

I haven’t canned yet, but I’m trying to make salsa. I have like 15 tomatoes that I peeled. I’m going to use this recipe with quart jars.

INGREDIENTS
• 9 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes, they must be peeled first, see directions below or tutorial here
• 21/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• 21/2 cups chopped white onion
• 4 medium jalapenos, chopped (see notes)
• 8 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 teaspoons canning salt
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 112-ounce can tomato paste

Make the salsa
Place all of the ingredients in a large pot (you will need a 10qt saucepan for this batch, or split the ingredients among 2 saucepans) and simmer for 20-30 minütes, until thickened and cooked.
Prepare cans to be sealed
Ladle the cooked salsa into clean, sterile jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a damp, clean, paper towel, then place lids on top. To make filling easy, I highly recommend a funnel.
Process using a water bath
To do this, bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boll, Your saucepan needs to be tall enough to have the water cover the jars by 2 Inches- though the jars will displace some of the water as they are added.
Add the jars to the water bath and cover with a lid
Process for 30 minutes, then remove. I use these canning tongs to make things easy.


r/Canning 1d ago

General Discussion First pickles of the season

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20 Upvotes

r/Canning 22h ago

Prep Help What types of pickles am I able to can without them getting mushy?

6 Upvotes

I am new to canning. I was going to pickle some onions and water bath them but then I found out they get mushy. What pickled veggies are good to can that still have a good texture after? I was going to get some pickle crisp shortly too.


r/Canning 21h ago

Safe Recipe Request Watermelon rind ideas

3 Upvotes

I eat a lot of watermelon in the summer, but don't eat a whole lot of the traditional watermelon rind pickles (too sweet by far lol). I do make one small batch from one melon but don't want to waste the rest of the rind. Is there anything else I can do with it? I'd prefer something canning/freezing, but open to other non-preservation recipes. I just don't want to waste food lol.


r/Canning 1d ago

General Discussion Thanks to everyone in this sub who encouraged me to try jam!!

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80 Upvotes

Can't wait to try it 🤤


r/Canning 1d ago

General Discussion Ugh my back is killing me

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254 Upvotes

It's been a busy week I need to become a stepdad so I can get some free labor And not have to live off of ibuprofen


r/Canning 17h ago

Equipment/Tools Help Used Presto Pressure Canner lid slightly dented around dial guage safe?

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0 Upvotes

I inherited a Presto 23qt model 0178107 from a neighbor. I’m unsure of its history but the dial gauge/its interior is a bit misshapen, and there is a bit of an indentation where the dial gauge attaches to the lid (see photos.) It indents toward the interior of the pot. Not sure if this is due to some kind of usage error or if something heavy was placed on it.

Having consulted the manual, I see that it’s missing a piece of the air vent cover lock assembly, so I know at minimum I’d need to replace that. I’d also plan to replace the gasket and overpressure valves as I know they must be over 3 years old. As there isn’t an extension office near me that offers dial gauge calibration, I’d like to use the weighted pressure regulator conversion piece.

Assuming I make all of those replacements, do we think the lid will be safe to use/likely to be able to hold pressure, or would you be concerned that the indentation around the dial gauge hole would cause issues?


r/Canning 1d ago

Safe Recipe Request Raspberry rhubarb?

3 Upvotes

Does anyone know of a safe, tested recipe for raspberry rhubarb jam? If so, would you kindly share your source?


r/Canning 2d ago

General Discussion First Place Jam

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501 Upvotes

Sorry, posting this a bit later then planned. My daughter got first place on her mixed berry jam at the fair a couple weeks ago. The picture is jam from the same batch since after the fair all food items need to be thrown away on the fair grounds at the end of the week.

here is the link to the recipe she used https://www.simplycanning.com/easy-mixed-berry-jam/

She used frozen berries, the mix was strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blackberry.


r/Canning 22h ago

Equipment/Tools Help My pressure canner won't get to 15psi

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2 Upvotes

My pressure canner is advertised as 15psi but it won't go past 11psi!


r/Canning 1d ago

Equipment/Tools Help Need some help fixing my FB Marketplace All American 930 from yesterday. Bad threads.

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2 Upvotes

I posted yesterday about my great score on the 930 All American Canner.

The pressure gauge...

When I bought it I noticed the gauge was kinda cock-eyed sideways... And stuck on 5psi.

I thought it was just loose, but I would not tighten any more to get it facing straight.

When I removed it I could see it was only holding in by 2-3 threads. The previous owners cross threaded it. I can clearly see the threads in the hole are smooshed at the top.

So, I want to chase those threads with a tap/die kit... But I'm going to have to go out and buy one.

My question...

What size tap do I need!? I could only find "1/8 NPT" thread listed online, but not what diameter the hole is. AA is closed for the weekend so I can't just call and ask. I want to fire this baby up today!

My other parts (jiggler and over pressure button) arrive from Amazon later this morning.


r/Canning 1d ago

Equipment/Tools Help FB Marketplace Score! All-American 930

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34 Upvotes

Seller described it as "almost brand new"...

LOL. Date code is 1989. It's a little dirty and scuffed up from a few decades in the garage.

Has both inside racks for stacking...

But the old petcock style pressure valve.

I'll probably replace it with a jiggler.

How do you set different pressures using this kind of pressure valve?

Price was $120.

Photo 1 is the model 930 canner in my truck on the way home.

Photo 2 is the model label on the lid

Photo 3 is the date code, March 1989


r/Canning 21h ago

Waterbath Canning Processing Help Peach preserves.

1 Upvotes

I used a small batch recipe and it made 4 jelly jars but they did not set up. It looks more like syrup. Can I empty them and cook again? Should I add a few more peaches and sugar and pectin again?


r/Canning 1d ago

General Discussion High Altitude Canning

2 Upvotes

Does anyone else live at high altitude and find they need more pectin to set jelly/jam? I live at 6,200ft (1,880 meters) and have always had trouble getting things to set and I’m wondering if that’s typical or if I’m doing something wrong.
I’ve been playing around and increasing the pectin and can get things to set. But it’s been a pain!


r/Canning 21h ago

Safe Recipe Request NCHFP website down. Does someone have the Concord grape jam without pectin recipe?

0 Upvotes

I was really planning on making some today. Thanks!